The draw against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon might have put a slight dampener on things, but this season still feels like it could be a great one for Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca’s side are finally back in the Champions League and, based on what we saw over the summer, look like they could be one of the most dangerous teams in the Premier League.
Moreover, with the transfer window still open for just under two weeks, there is plenty of time for the Blues to get even stronger.
One of the players most heavily touted for a move to Stamford Bridge has been Xavi Simons, although the West Londoners are now being linked to someone who’d be a more critical signing, someone who is also being linked with cross-city rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea race Spurs for more important signing than Simons
While there have been sporadic reports linking Simons with a move to Chelsea for a few years now, they began to really pick up steam earlier this summer.
Since then, there has been a steady stream of stories touting the RB Leipzig star for a move to Stamford Bridge, and while there have been moments when it seemed unlikely, it now appears to be just a matter of time.
However, even though the Dutchman is an extraordinarily talented attacker who amassed a tally of 19 goal involvements in 33 games last season, there is another international the Blues are now looking at who’d be a far more critical signing.
At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed Chelsea are still very interested in Piero Hincapié.
However, the West Londoners are not the only ones interested in the imposing centre-back, as Tottenham Hotspur are also racing to secure his signature.
On top of beating the North Londoners, Chelsea will have to stump up a fee in excess of €45m, which is about £39m, and while that’s certainly a lot, it would be worth it, especially as Hincapié would be a more important addition to the squad than Simons.
Why Hincapié would be a more important signing than Simons
Now, Simons would undoubtedly have a sizable impact on this Chelsea side, as over the last few seasons, he has more than proven his ability as a winger and number ten.
Chelsea-Xavi-Simons
However, at this point in time and in the foreseeable future, we’d say that Hincapié would be far more of a game-changer for the Blues, and one of the main reasons why is down to the makeup of the squad.
For example, while they did look somewhat blunt against Palace on Sunday, the Conference League champions have an abundance of exciting and dynamic attacking talent in the squad.
Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo and Joao Pedro celebrate.
Moreover, we still haven’t seen what the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens might be able to do with a run of Premier League appearances under Maresca.
In contrast, the Argentine’s defensive options are starting to look a little thin, especially with Levi Colwill out for potentially the season and Tosin Asarabioyo missing the match at the weekend.
Moreover, while the incredibly exciting Jorrel Hato might be the perfect solution in a few years from now, it would be unfair and unwise to throw him in at the deep end at just 19 years old and with no experience of playing in a top-five league.
The second reason the Leverkusen star would be such an essential addition to the team is that, on top of being defensively solid, he’s a great passer and carrier of the ball, which should help massively in build-up play.
Piero Hincapie in action for Bayer Leverkusen
According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 2% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 6% for key passes and more, all per 90.
Finally, with a Bundesliga title and DFB Pokal under his belt, the “Ecuadorian football legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, would bring a real know-how and maturity to this Blues side, which could be crucial in a season where they should be challenging for silverware.
Hincapié Scout Report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.18
Top 1%
Progressive Passes Received
2.35
Top 2%
xA: Expected Assists
0.10
Top 2%
Crosses into Penalty Area
0.26
Top 2%
Tackles (Att 3rd)
0.29
Top 2%
Touches (Att 3rd)
12.16
Top 2%
Crosses
1.23
Top 3%
Carries into Penalty Area
0.16
Top 3%
Fouls Drawn
1.26
Top 4%
Progressive Carries
1.65
Top 5%
SCA (Shot)
0.18
Top 5%
Carries into Final Third
1.41
Top 5%
Key Passes
0.52
Top 6%
Touches (Att Pen)
1.52
Top 7%
Passes into Penalty Area
0.52
Top 9%
Tackles Won
1.39
Top 9%
Ultimately, Simons will be a great addition to this Chelsea team, but for our money, Hincapié would be a far more important signing to make this summer.